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3 Sheets-Sheet 1 R1 WY mm a 8 MM Wm WWW Va. PM 0 M. 3W6 m \mm o3 -2 HN 6mm EN om A ///////AA 4/ A///4// 444AA4A/ j/ Jan. 24, 1956 1. SENZANI FEEDING APPARATUS Filed July 27, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 27, 1954 www 93 @N m&

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A TTORN'EYS FEEDING APPARATUS Iro Senzani, Faenza, Italy Application July 27, 1954, Serial No. 445,972

16 Claims. (Cl. 249-2) This invention relates to feeding apparatus for packaging machines and especially to such apparatus designed to handle elongated cylindrical articles such as spaghetti and the like.

The apparatus of this invention is of the type that includes a longitudinally vibratory chute feeding the weigh receptacle of a scale mechanism, the scale mechanism controlling the vibration of the chute and the discharge of the receptacle. As far as I am aware, such devices have not been suitable for packaging spaghetti-like articles and it has been customary to manually weigh a charge for each package and then place the charge in a container of a packaging machine. This slow and tedious hand process has been required principally because of the fragility of long pieces of alimentary paste products, the tendency of perfect cylinders of the same to roll uncontrollably and the tendency of imperfect cylinders having a slight hook at the end, to roll erratically or bunch up into a tangled mass. Alimentary paste products of this type are usually dried while hanging in U-shape over rods, then the bight or curved portion is cut off while the leg portions are cut in two equal sections to age lengths. Whether the cutting is done by chine the cut product is in the form of pairs of side by side bundles of package lengths. On the other hand, the packaging machines used for such products usually include containers travelling in a single line and capable of accommodating only a single length of articles. To autoform packhand or ma- -rnatically feed from the cutting operation to the packaging operation, it is thus necessary to receive side by side bundles at the cutting station and deliver a single line of bundles to the packaging station or a double line to two packaging machines.

An object of this invention is to provide a high speed, fully automatic feeding apparatus for elongated spaghettilike articles which can receive bundles of the same, separate the bundle into an advancing stream of articles. weigh out a portion of the stream and deliver the weighed portion into the containers of a packaging machine.

Another object of the device is to provide feeding apparatus capable of handling without jamming or breaking fragile spaghetti-like articles at the speed necessary to accommodate the output of an automatic cutting macihne.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved article separating means on the chutes of the feeding apparatus in the form of a series of steps and baffle plates which prevent an article from traveling endwise down the chute but permit articles to roll in a stream down the successive steps thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide improved article guiding means on the chutes in the form of parallel, oblique side walls and improved bundle separating means in the form of a shallow hopper and deflector plate.

A still further object of the invention is to provide improved chute feeding means, including double comparttates Patent tric magnet 45 (Fig.

2,732,153 :ented Jan. 24, 1956 mented conveyor buckets and improved control means for the apparatus wherein the chute feeding mechanism is synchronized with the scale mechanism to avoid overfilling the chutes or affecting their vibration.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1 with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view of a moving chute feeding means of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a rear View partly in section of the moving chute feeding means shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 4A is a side view of a conveyor bucket with its discharge door open.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view of a scale mechanism and weigh receptacle of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a chute of the invention with one wall broken away to illustrate the article separating means thereof, and includes an electrical diagram showing the automatic means for controlling the various parts of the invention.

As shown in the drawings, the machine 20 of this invention includes a suitable frame 21 having a longitudinally extending recess 22 thereunder whereby it may straddle a packaging machine 23 of a well known type. The packaging machine 23 is provided with a plurality of article receiving contain rs such as 24, endlessly travelling along a closed path, each container having a tapered open mouth as at 25. When elongated cylindrical articles such as a weighed bundle of spaghetti are deposited in a container 24, the packaging machine automaticaily inserts the same into a suitable carton or envelope and otherwise places the product in condition for marketing. It should be noted that the containers 24 travel at spaced distances in a single line, one behind the other, and that the line is usually straight. A cutting machine 27 is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to indicate that at this station the spaghetti is turned out at high speed in the form of a pair of bundles side by side, each of equal length and in extension of each other. A delivery trough 28 is illustrated on the cutting machine 27, the trough having means forming no part of this invention for periodically discharging the articles in two side by side groupings or bundles.

Each weigh mechanism 29 of the machine 20 includes a weigh receptacle 30, a scale beam 31, counter weights 32, counter poise 33 and adjusting knobs 34, 35 and 36. The weigh receptacle feeding apparatus 37 includes inclined chutes such as 38, resilient chute mountings 39 and 40, spring mounted chute supports 41 and an electrically operated vibrator 42. A pair of chute cut-01f gates 43 and 53 (see Fig. 5) operated by solenoid 44', an elec- 7) for stopping the oscillation of the scale bucket after proper filling thereof, and a weigh receptacle discharge door 46 (Fig. 5) operated by a solenoid 47 are shown somewhat diagrammatically in Fig. 7. A pair of mercury switches 48 and 49 are actuated by the scale mechanism to control the rate of vibration of vibra tor 42, first to permit rapid filling of a weigh receptacle and finally to deposit only a thin stream of articles therein. A microswitch 50 actuated by a resilient arm 51 (Fig. 7) in the path of the advancing containers 24 closes a circuit to the solenoid 47 of a particular weigh receptacle door when a particular container is passing thereunder.

a plurality of steps extending laterally across each chute 38 and formed in the bottom wall 55 thereof. Preferably the riser portions 56 of each step are substantially identical in size and incline upwardly and rearwardly at a slight angle from the tread portions 57 which are also substantially identical in size. Regardless of the angular direction of the chute, to one side or the other, the steps thereof extend in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the weigh receptacles 30 and of the article receiving containers 24 and are thus at right angles to the path of the containers 24. Impulses from the vibrator 42 causing the longitudinal vibration of chute 38 will cause elongated cylindrical articles such as spaghetti to roll down the steps in a stream of substantially uniform depth which stream may be one or two articles deep under coarse vibration and diminish to a thinner stream under fine vibration. When vibration ceases, the articles remain stationary on the horizontal step treads 57 and the articles on the lowest steps are prevented from inadvertently dropping into a weigh receptacle 3!) by cut off gates 43 and 53.

Article separating means A also includes a plurality of upright baffle plates such as on each chute 38, each baffle plate extending laterally thereacross in the same direction as the direction of the step risers 56 and step treads 57. The baffle plates 58 are preferably identical in size and mounted between the side walls of the chute to extend above, and below the level of a step tread. Preferably also, each baflie plate is spaced in front of the forward edge 59 of a step and is spaced in front of the step riser a distance less than the length of an article whereby there is insufiicient space between the riser and the baifle for an article lying on the step tread to assume anything but a position transverse to the chute. The battle plates 58 thus arrest the forward motion of the forward end of a misoriented, horizontally twisted article until the rearward end is vibrated up to proximate the advanced position at which location the article drops off the forward edge such as 59 of the step reoriented with the remainder of the stream. Preferably each baffle plate 58 inclines rearwardly at an angle substantially the same as the rearward incline of the step risers 56, to present a sloping surface to any misoriented articles. The batile plates 58 extend below the level of a step tread 57 because articles may be advanced with their forward ends below their rearward ends because of entanglements or otherwise and if advancing sufficiently endwise and parallel to the chute direction might slide directly down the trough end foremost until stopped by other articles on lower steps.

In dealing with fragile breakable material such as spaghetti, a disadvantage is the occasional appearance of a broken length which does not react in the manner of a full length. Such a half or quarter length may sometimes become twisted through an angle of 90 whereby its axis is parallel to the direction of advance, and the bafiie plates 58 entirely impede its advance and that of the articles behind or under it. At least one, and preferably a pair of cut outs 60 and 61 are provided, each at an opposite lower corner of each baffle plate 53 and each entirely below the level of the step tread 57 with which the plate is associated. The cut outs 6i? and 61 are so positioned that endwise advancing short lengths will enter the same when the weight of the forward portion tilts that portion downwardly over the step edge 59 and pass down the chute without jamming. When the chute is oblique, as will be explained hereinafter, such short lengths are moved sidewise along the baffle plates 58 until they reach the cut out 60 or 61 at one end or the other. It should be noted that the respective bafile plates 53, step treads 57 and step risers 56 on each chute are all spaced from each other at about one half the length of an article, this having been found to be the most eflective spacing for good results.

Article guiding means The article guiding means B of the invention includes at least one upstanding side wall 63 on each chute 38 extending downwardly alongside the chute steps from the step head portion 64 to the step foot portion 65 and obliqued into the normal path of advance of articles travelling down said steps. Preferably an opposite upstanding side wall 66 is also provided, parallel to wall 63 with the pair of oblique side walls 63 and 66 spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of an article. The side walls 63 and 66 tend to slide each article axially sidewise as it travels down the steps 54 of a chute the resulting translatory movement coupled with the normal rolling movement tending to straighten out the axes of short lengths, align the ends of full lengths and flatten out the stream of articles into an undulating layer one article in thickness. As mentioned above, misoriented short lengths thravelling endwise and arrested by a baffle plate 58 are gradually urged sidewise by the guiding action of walls 63 and 66 until they pass through a cut out or 61 at either opposite end to become reoriented further down the steps. The article guiding means B is especially useful in the preferred form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 wherein the foot portions of the chutes are aligned in a single line each above a weigh receptacle 3!) and above the path of the containers 24 while each alternate head portion 64 of the chutes is in one of a pair of side by side lines parallel to said container path. The guiding means B of each alternate chute directs articles sidewise and inwardly from opposite sides of the central line of containers and enable a single packaging machine to handle the output of a double delivery cutting machine such as 27.

Bundle separating means The bundle separating means C of the invention is mounted at the head portion 64 of each chute 38 and vibrates longitudinally therewith under the influence of vibrator 42. Means C includes a shallow hopper 69 having a bottom wall 70 formed by the tread portion of the top step in the chute, a hopper rear wall 71 and a pair of hopper side walls 72 and 73. A downwardly and rearwardly curved deflector plate 74 is provided, extending between side walls 72 and 73 and forming a combined forward hopper wall and false bottom extending laterally above the level of the bottom wall 70 and over the article opening 75. Bundles of articles dropped in hopper 69 instead of choking or jamming in the opening 75, or travelling as a bundle down the steps are received by plate 74 and deflected to the rear of the hopper while being partially formed into a layer of uniform depth. The vibration of the hopper then causes a few articles at a time to travel forwardly on bottom wall 70 under the deflector plate 74 and down the steps 54 of the chute 38.

Moving chute feeding means Unlike many feeding devices wherein articles are placed indiscriminately in bulk in a tapered hopper of large volume, with the hopper either continually vibrated or not, this invention provides novel means for feeding chutes having very shallow hoppers. It is thus possible to handle elongated, fragile articles of spaghetti-like material without any jamming in the hopper or the hopper outlet and without any breakage in the act of filling the hopper. Furthermore, the hopper of this invention is never so over or underloaded as to change the vibration effect of vibrator 42 on the chutes 33 and articles are loaded into the chute hoppers only in synchronization with the weighing mechanism.

It would be possible to place the hoppers 659 of chutes 33 directly under the delivery trough 28 of a cutting machine 27 and stream the articles down the chutes to a packaging machine on the next floor below. Such chutes could be straight rather than having oblique side walls 63 and 66 and lead to side by side packaging machines such as 23. Excessive jamming, overloading and breakage of the articles might occur with such a construction and the moving chute feeding means D of the invention is therefore preferred.

As best shown in Figs. l4, moving chute feeding means D includes a pair of endless conveyor chains or belts such as 7'7, trained around suitable sprockets or pulleys such as 78, 79, 80, 81, 32 and 89, mounted on frame 21.

It should be noted that the endless conveyor 77 is continuously advanced by a gear 83 on the sprocket shaft .84, the gear 83 being driven by gear 85 on a sprocket shaft 86 for a sprocket 87. Sprocket 87, in turn, is driven by chain 88 trained around a sprocket, not shown, and driven by the main drive shaft of the cutting machine 27. The endless conveyor 77 includes a stretch 90 extending above the head portions 64 of chutes 38 and is provided with a plurality of double compartmented, bundle receiving,

buckets such as 91. Each bucket 91 is of a length equal to at least two lengths of the articles and is provided with a central partition 92 to form a pair of side by side compartments 93 and 94 each for accommodating a bundle of the articles. Preferably, each bucket 91 is considerably larger in volume than a weigh receptacle 30 and is of triangular cross section with end walls 95 and 96 in the form of a V. Each compartment 93 and 94 is provided with an independently operated closure door 97 or 98 hinged at 99 at the upper edges thereof and tongued at 100 and 101 at the lower edges thereof to mesh with complementary tongues 102 and 103 along the lower edge or the other end wall at the apex of the triangle.

Each closure door such as 97 includes an integral arm 104, loosely pivoted at 105 to an adjustable arm 106 of a toggle 107 the other arm 108 of toggle 107 being pivoted at 109 to the bucket and at 110 to the toggle pivot 111. A roller 112 is mounted at the toggle pivot 111, the roller 1'12 causing door 97 to open when it is drawn downwardly and a coil spring 113 around pivot 109 returning the door to closed position. Preferably, elongated tracks such as 114 are provided beneath the stretch 90 of conveyor 77, and supporting rollers 115 are provided on the conveyor buckets, the rollers 115 riding tracks 114 and preventing any sag in the conveyor.

The double compartmented buckets 91, are spaced around the conveyor 77, and synchronized with the main drive shaft of the cutting machine 27 to present a bucket beneath trough 28, receive the side by side bundles of spaghetti discharged therefrom and carry the articles up to and along stretch 90 of conveyor 77 with one line of compartments above each line of alternately facing chutes 38 and shallow hoppers 69. The compartment doors 97 and 98 are not opened automatically merely because of the arrival of the buckets above a hopper. Instead, the closure doors of the compartments of buckets 91 are arranged to open only in accordance with a predetermined pattern set by a cycling switch 261 actuated by a Geneva motion 267 on shaft 36 driven by the cutting machine. In view of the plurality of feeding apparatus units, preterably six in number, it is necessary to so control the con partment doors that they open only above a hopper in their particular line.

The cycling switch circuit actuates the compartment doors 97 and 98 by a short track member 117 in the path of each roller 112 of toggle 107, the tracks 117 being each mounted for vertical sliding movement in guides 118 carried by frame 21. An electric solenoid 119 is mounted on a bracket 120 supported on frame 21 with its plunger 121 connected to the track member 117 there being a plunger and track return spring 122 also provided. Energization of solenoid 119, by the cycling switch 261 causes plunger 121 to draw downwardly the track member 117 in its guides 118, thus causing the toggle roller 112, engaged inthe track, to open its respective compartment door to discharge the contents into a hopper.

Control mechanism As best shown in Figs. and 6, the weigh mechanism 29, at the foot portion of each chute 38, is provided with a weigh receptacle 30, slightly greater in length than an article, but otherwise of the same general construction as the conveyor buckets 91. Each weigh receptacle 30 is .thus of triangular cross section with end walls 123 and 124 forming a V and with a closure door 46 formed by part or all of an end wall. Closure door 46 is hinged at 126 along its upper edge and is 'tongued at 127 along its lower edge to mesh with complementary tongues 128 along the lower edge of the opposite wall at the apex of the triangle. The intermeshing tongues 127 and 128 prevent an article becoming trapped upon the closing of the door 46 in a similar manner to the tongues and 101 on the conveyor buckets 91 and the triangular cross section of the receptacles and buckets tends to prevent articles breaking by being jammed in corners as might occur without sloping sides.

Each receptacle 30 is pivotably suspended at 130 from a scale beam 31, the scale beam being pivotally mounted at 131 to the frame 21 by posts such as at 132. The counterweights 32 may be suitably adjusted lengthwise of the beam 31 and the ball type counter poise 33 is supported in a socket 133 in the path of a socket 134 on beam 31 in a well known manner. Knob 34 controls socket 134, knob 35 controls socket 133 and knob 36 also controls socket 133.

The scale beam 31 is bifurcated with rearwardly extending legs 135 and 136 and an additional central leg 137 for supporting socket 134. One leg 135 supports at its terminal end the mercury switches 48 and 49, arranged to actuate the vibrator 42 upon predetermined tilting of scale beam 31. Magnet 45 is positioned to seize and hold the scale beam 31 and weigh receptacle 30 in its downward loaded position after a predetermined weight or charge of articles has been vibrated off the chute 38 into the receptacle and after the cut off gates 43 and 53 have closed. Oscillation of the scale beam is thus prevented until the door 46 has opened to discharge the contents into a container 24.

A solenoid is mounted on frame 21 with its plunger 138 connected by pivoted links 139 and 140 to an arm 141 poised above the path of a roller 142 of toggle mechanism 143 on weigh receptacle 30. Toggle 143 includes an arm 144 pivoted at 145 to receptacle 30 and an arm 146 pivoted at 147 and attached to an arm 148 fixed to closure door 46, the arms 144 and 146 being pivoted to each other at pivot pin 149 carrying roller 142. When the receptacle 30 tilts downwardly into discharge position, the energization of solenoid 47 causes roller arm 141 to oscillate downwardly against roller 142 thereby opening toggle 143 and opening door 46 on its hinge pivot 126.

The chute cut off gate 43 extends downwardly from a transversely extending rod 151 supported in bearings 152 and 153 on frame 21 and is fixed to an arm 154 pivoted at its lower end to a rod 155 encircled by a compression coil spring 156 and supported by a frame bracket 157. The plunger 158 of solenoid 44 is pivotally attached intermediate of arm 154 whereby the energization of solenoid 44 closes gate 43 against the compression of spring 156.

Preferably rod 151 carries an arm 173 connected by a link 174 to a similar arm 175 on a rod 176, the rod 176 being rotatable in bearings such as 177 on frame 21. A cut off gate 53 is mounted on rod 176 whereby gates 43 and 53 approach each other and retract from each other under the actuation of solenoid 44. Preferably also the cut oil gate 43 is overlapped by gate 53 and is provided with a shelf 1S1 extending longitudinally thereof to prevent articles from jamming in the cut off gates and also permit the articles to be quickly discharged upon opening of the gates.

Preferably also :1 lug 182 extends downwardly from the lower end of arm 154, of cut olf gates 43 and 53, and a trip latch 52, mounted on frame 21 is arranged to catch and hold arm 154 in closed gate position. A magnet 241, mounted on frame 21, attracts latch 52 to release lug 182 and arm 154 to permit opening of the cut oil gates. The cut off gates are normally open and closed by solenoid 44 to avoid wear on the solenoid, but trip latch 52 prevents the gates automatically opening if solenoid 44 becomes inadvertently de-energized.

A microswitch 50 having a forwardly extending resilient actuating arm 51 is positioned below each weigh mechanism, each arm being in a different transverse position in the path of one of six actuating lugs carried by the article receiving containers 24 of packaging machine 23. Thus a particular container 24 of the group of six is filled by a particular weigh receptacle and, if the weigh receptacle is not ready to discharge, the container simply moves past the arm 51 and is not filled.

Control circuits An electric diagram of the device is shown in Fig. 7, wherein a magnetic starter 160, having the usual stop and start switches is depicted for placing the machine in operation. A control panel 161, typical of the control panels for each feeding apparatus is also shown the control circuit including rheostat 163, rheostat 164, selenium rectifier 165, relays 167 and 168 and 171 and two way relays 169, 170 and 172.

Upon energizing the device through magnetic starter 160 a circuit is closed through starter 160, conductor 180, conductor 179, selenium rectifier 165, conductor 178, vibrator 42, conductors 181 and 182, rheostat 163, conductor 183, armature 184 of relay 172, conductor 185, armature 186 of relay 167, conductor 187 and back to conductor 190 leading to the magnetic starter. Thus the vibrator 42 is energized through rectifier 165 under the control of rheostat 163 and articles commence streaming down the steps of the chute into the weigh receptacle.

Upon rising of the scale beam 31, mercury switch 48 closes thus completing a circuit from conductor 180, through conductor 179, conductor 191, the coil of relay 172, conductor 192, switch 48, conductor 193, conductor 198, back to conductor 190. The closing of this circuit causes relay 172 to move armature 184 to contact point 194, thus bypassing rheostat 163 and causing the vibrator circuit to pass through conductor 195, rheostat 164, and conductor 196. Vibrations of less strength thereby are transmitted to the chute to thin the stream of articles.

Upon further rising of scale beam 31, mercury switch 49 closes thus completing a circuit from conductor 180, through conductor 197, the coil of relay 170, conductor 199, switch 49, conductor 200, conductor 198 back to conductor 190. Armature 201 of relay 170 is thus moved to contact point 202 and initiates a circuit from conductor 180, through conductor 205, conductor 206, the coil of relay 167 and conductor 207, conductor 208, contact point 202, armature 201 of relay 170 and conductor 209 back to conductor 190. Magnet 45 is also energized by the circuit by means of conductors 211 and 212 and the solenoid 44 of cut-off gate 43 is also so energized by means of conductor 213 and conductor 205. Thus if armature 201 is on contact point 202, indicating that the mercury switch 49 has been actuated and the weight is correct, magnet 45 is energized to stop oscillation of the scale, cut-otf gate 43 is closed to stop further deposit of articles and armature 186 is moved away from contact point 215 to open the vibrator circuit. The weigh receptacle is thus ready to discharge when and if signalled by microswitch 50.

The magnet 241 of the trip latch'52 is normally energized to hold the spring latch downward, open and incapable of latching the cut-ofi doors in closed position. This is because a circuit is completed by armature 201 in its upward position from conductor 180, conductor 240, magnet 241, conductor 242, contact point 230, armature 201 of solenoid 170 and conductor 209 back to conductor 190. However, when armature 201 moves to contact point 202 to energize the weigh scale beam magnet 45, vibrator cut-off relay 167 and cut-ofi gate solenoid 44, it opens the circuit to magnet 241 permitting the spring latch to hold the cut-off doors in closed position.

It should be noted that solenoid 47 of the weigh receptacle discharge doors is not as yet energized, since a particular article receiving container is arranged to trip a particular weigh receptacle-of the six Weighing units. Upon closing of microswitch 50 by the arrival of the desired article receiving container under the weigh receptacle a circuit is energized from conductor 180, through conductor 205, conductor 217, switch 50, conductor 218, the coil of solenoid 168, conductor 219, contact point 202 and armature 201 of relay 170, and conductor 209 back to conductor 190. The energization of the coil of relay 168 moves the relay armature 220 into engagement with contact point 222 thus closing a circuit from conductor 180, through conductor 223, solenoid 47 of the discharge door 46 of weigh receptacle 30, conductor 224, contact point 225 and armature 226 of relay 169, conductor 227, contact point 222, armature 220 of relay 168 and conductor 228 back to conductor 190. The contents of the weigh receptacle is thus discharged into the proper article receiving container.

The opening of microswitch 50 by the continued progress of the filled article receiving container opens the circuit to the weigh receptacle discharge door permitting it to close and the counterweights of the scale beam lift the weigh receptacle thereby opening mercury switches 48 and 49 to commence another cycle of vibration.

In the event that a weigh receptacle is not filled and ready to discharge at the time the article receiving container closes microswitch 50, it will be apparent that contact arm 201 of relay 170 will be in engagement with contact point 230 rather than contact point 202. Thus the closing of microswitch 50 will close a circuit from conductor 180, conductor 20S, conductor 217, switch 50, conductor 218, conductor 233, the coil of relay 169, conductor 234, contact point 230, armature 201, conductor 209 and conductor 190, thus energizing the coil of relay 169 and moving armature 226 into engagement with contact point 235.

The moving of armature 226 to contact point 235 completes a circuit from conductor 180, through conductor 205, conductor 217, switch 50, conductor 218, conductor 233, the coil of relay 169, conductor 234, conductor 236, contact point 235, armature 226, conductors 227 and 237 and conductor 228, back to conductor 190, thus continuing to energize the coil of relay 169 and continuing to hold armature 226 in the 011 position whereby it cannot open the weigh bucket doors.

The circuit to the solenoid 119 of the conveyor buckets is as follows. Conductor 180, conductor 243 through contact point 260 of cycling switch 261 at the cutting machine trough, contact arm 262 of switch 261, conductor 263, the coil of relay 171, conductor 264, conductors 193 and 198, back to conductor 190. Since two bucket compartment doors open simultaneously, conductors 270 and 271 are simultaneously energized and lead to the solenoid of an alternate conveyor bucket not shown. Both relay 171 and its companion relay close armatures such as 272 which in turn may, if desired, close circuits of greater strength for energizing the compartment door solenoids.

The closing of armature 272 of relay 271 completes a circuit from conductor 180, through conductor 205, conductor 280, the coil of the conveyor bucket solenoid 119, conductor 281, contact point 282, armature 272, conductor 264, conductor 193, back to conductor 190, thus energizing the solenoid to discharge a compartment of a bucket.

The cycling switch 261 includes three contact arms 262, 265 and 266, each contact arm controlling two relays such as 171 for opening two oppositely disposed compartment doors, each on a different conveyor bucket and the cycling switch is actuated by a Geneva motion 267 of well known type powered by the cutting machine.

I claim:

1. In filling apparatus of the type having a plurality of single compartmented, article receiving containers, endlessly traveling along a straight path, scale mechanism with a pluralityot single compartrnented weigh receptacles mounted above said path, a plurality of resiliently mounted longitudinally vibratory, inclined chutes each feeding a weigh receptacle and means actuated by said scale mechanism for controlling the vibration of said chutes, the combination of article separating means on each chute, said means including a bottom'wall formed with a plurality of steps extending laterally thereacross, each step having a substantially horizontal tread and a substantially upright closed riser and a plurality of substantially upright baflie plates, each extending laterally across said chute at a spaced distance in front of the forward edge of a step and at a spaced distance above the tread of the next lower step.

2. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein each bafiie plate is provided with a cut out portion at each opposite lower corner thereof, said portion being entirely below the level of the tread of the step with which said bafiie plate is associated.

3. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein the risers of all steps in a chute are identical in size and the treads of all steps in a chute are identical in size.

4. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein each said bafiie plate is positioned in front of a step riser at a distance less than the length of an article passing down said chute.

5. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein the bafiie plates and step risers are inclined from the level of a step tread rearwardly of said chute at a slight angle.

6. A combination as specified in claim 1 plus article guiding means on each chute, said means comprising a pair of parallel upstanding side walls, uniformly spaced apart at a distance greater than the length of an article and both extending obliquely along said chute for sliding articles axially sidewise as said articles pass down the steps of the bottom wall of a chute.

7. A combination as specified in claim 1 plus bundle separating means on each chute, said means comprising a shallow hopper having the tread of the top step as its bottom wall and having a laterally extending deflector plate curved downwardly and rearwardly to a line above and intermediate of said tread for directing articles dropped in said hopper to the rear of said hopper.

8. A combination as specified in claim 1 plus article guiding means on each chute comprising a pair of opposite side walls each extending longitudinally in the same oblique direction and bundle separating means on each chute comprising a shallow hopper having a downwardly and rearwardly curved, laterally extending deflector plate across the forward portion thereof.

9. A combination as specified in claim 8 plus moving chute feeding means comprising a plurality of double compartmented buckets of triangular cross section spaced along an endless conveyor, each bucket adapted to contain a bundle of articles and having two hinged compartment discharge doors and means mounted at the hopper end of each chute for opening the discharge door of a bucket compartment passing over said hopper.

10. In filling apparatus of the type having a plurality of single compartmented, article receiving containers endlessly traveling along a continuous path; scale mechanism with a plurality of single compartmented Weigh receptacles mounted above said path for feeding said containers; a plurality of vibratory inclined chutes each feeding a weigh receptacle and means for controlling the vibration of said chutes and the discharge of said weigh receptacles, the combination of a bottom wall on each chute formed with a plurality of laterally extending step treads and upright step risers; a plurality of laterally extending bathe plates on each chute, each plate mounted upright at the level of a step riser at a spaced distance in front of a step tread; a foot delivery portion and a head receiving portion on each chute, said head portion being parallel to, but at a spaced distance sidewise and in rear of, said foot portion; a pair of parallel upstanding side walls on each chute, extending obliquely downwardly from said head portion to said foot portion and a shallow hopper forming the head portion of each chute, said hopper having a laterally extending deflector plate across the forward upper portion thereof for urging articles falling on said plate to the rear of the hopper.

11. A combination as specified in claim 10 wherein each bafiie plate extends below the level of the step tread With which it is associated and includes a cut out at each opposite lower corner thereof entirely below the level of said tread for passing misoriented articles travelling down said chute end foremost.

12. A combination as specified in claim 10 wherein the foot delivery ends of all of said chutes are aligned in a single line above the path of said article receiving containers and the head receiving ends of each alternate chute are in two parallel lines above and on each opposite side of said single line and path.

13. Feeding apparatus for automatically separating bundles of elongated spaghetti like articles into a stream and delivering said stream into a weigh receptacle, said apparatus comprising an inclined chute having a pair of upstanding longitudinal sidewalls at least one of which extends obliquely in the path of adjacent ends of said articles; a bottom wall formed with a plurality of steps extending laterally thereof, each step including a horizontal tread portion and an inclined riser portion; a pinrality of imperforate bafiie plates extending laterally of said chute between said side walls, each bafiie plate extending upwardly above the level, and extending downwardly below the level of, a step tread and being spaced in front of said tread but above the level of the next lower tread and a pair of cut outs each formed at an opposite lower corner of a baffle plate below the level of the step tread with which said bafiie plate is associated, said baffie plates and step risers being adapted to prevent an article from traveling endwise down said chute and said cut outs being adapted to permit such travel.

14. Feeding apparatus for elongated spaghetti like articles, said apparatus including scale mechanism in eluding at least two aligned single compartmented weigh receptacles, each having end walls forming an inverted V, one of said end walls being hinged at the top to form a discharge door and both of said end walls having complementary tongues along their meeting edges at the apex of the V; chute feeding means including a double compartmented endless conveyor bucket twice the length of said weigh receptacle, said bucket having end walls forming an inverted V, one of said end walls being hinged at the top to form an independent discharge door for each compartment and both of said end walls having complementary tongues along their meeting edges at the apex of the V; at least two longitudinally vibratory, inclined, stepped chutes each having a head portion under the path of one of the compartments of said endless conveyor bucket, each having a pair of parallel side walls obliqued inwardly and downwardly toward said weigh receptacles and each having a foot portion above one of said weigh receptacles and means for cooperatively actuating the doors of said compartments, the doors of said weigh receptacles and the longitudinal vibration of said chutes.

15. In apparatus for feeding elongated cylindrical articles a plurality of article receiving, single compartmented containers endlessly traveling in a straight line; scale mechanism with a plurality of single compartmented weight receptacles positioned above the path of said containers, a plurality of resiliently mounted, longitudinally vibratory, stepped and inclined chutes, each feeding a weigh bucket and means acuated by said scale mechanism for controlling the vibration of said chutes, the combination of endless conveyor means havng a plurality of double compartmented article receiving buckets spaced therearound for carrying two identical bundles of articles side by side; longitudinally extending oblique guide means on each alternate chute for guiding articles received from one of said compartments sidewise into the straight line path of said containers; means for discharging the contents of said compartments into the head end of one of said chutes; laterally extending baflie means on each chute for causing said articles to descend the steps of said chutes in a rolling stream while maintaining the longitudinal axis of each article transverse to the longitudinal axis of the chute and bundle deflecting means, on the head end of each stepped chute for receiving bundles of articles falling vertically thereon and deflecting the same horizontally and rearwardly relative to said head end.

16. Apparatus for automatically filling a predetermined weight of elongated spaghetti-like articles into each of a succession of advancing, article receiving containers in a packaging machine, said apparatus comprising endless conveyor means including a plurality of spaced, independent buckets, each with a hinged closure for receiving a bundle of said articles delivered from a cutting machine and discharging the contents of each bucket into article separating means; article separating means, including a plurality of downwardly inclined stepped, longitudinally vibratory chutes, for separating said bundle of articles into a stream of substantially uniform depth descending said chute with 12 the longitudinal axis of each article transverse to the longitudinal axis of the chute, said stream terminating in article Weighing means; article weighing means including a plurality of weigh receptacles, each counterbalanced at the terminal end of a chute and each having a hinged closure above the path of said article receiving containers for receiving a predetermined weight of the articles streaming down said chute, cutting off said stream and discharging said weight of articles into one of the article receiving containers of said packaging machine, and means actuated by said article Weighing means for controlling the closures of said conveyor buckets and weigh receptacles and controlling the vibrations and cut off of said chutes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,440,354 Auberman Apr. 27, 1948 2,536,516 Peterson Jan. 2, 1951 2,636,654 Sykes Apr. 28, 1953 

